Softwr

Music · head to head

Deezer vs TuneCore

Deezer logo

Deezer

Music

All the music you love

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TuneCore logo

TuneCore

Music

Music distribution owned by Believe, offering both a 0%-royalty annual subscription and an older pay-per-release model side by side

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Deezer has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Deezer premium pricing displayed in AED currency only despite international availability; TuneCore tuneCore runs two different pricing structures side by side, and it is easy for a buyer to be quoted or compare against the wrong one for their release frequency.
  • They diverge on capability: Deezer covers Music streaming, TuneCore covers Unlimited uploads on subscription plans.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Deezer and TuneCore actually diverge.

Attributes where Deezer and TuneCore differ
AttributeDeezerTuneCore
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer year, subscription or pay-per-release
Free tierYesNo
Founded2007Unknown

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Music).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Deezer

  • Music streaming
  • Podcasts
  • Radio
  • HiFi audio
  • Smart speakers
  • Car systems
  • Family controls
  • Private sessions

Only in TuneCore

  • Unlimited uploads on subscription plans
  • Pay-per-release legacy option
  • 0% royalty commission on streaming stores
  • Publishing administration
  • Sync licensing marketplace
  • Multiple artist profile support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Deezer

  • Ad-free on-demand music streaming with offline downloadsnot TuneCore
  • Multi-user household streaming via the Family plannot TuneCore
  • Two-person households via the Duo plannot TuneCore
  • Higher-fidelity/lossless audio streaming on Premiumnot TuneCore

TuneCore

  • A prolific artist releasing many singles a year who benefits from an unlimited-upload subscription over per-release feesnot Deezer
  • An infrequent releaser who prefers paying only for the specific single or album they put out rather than an annual platform feenot Deezer
  • An artist wanting publishing administration and sync licensing submission alongside distribution, from one vendornot Deezer
  • A songwriter managing multiple artist identities who is willing to pay the per-name annual fee for each additional profilenot Deezer

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Deezer

  • Premium pricing displayed in AED currency only despite international availability
  • Free tier does not support offline listening and includes advertising
  • Family plan limited to 6 accounts maximum

TuneCore

  • TuneCore runs two different pricing structures side by side, and it is easy for a buyer to be quoted or compare against the wrong one for their release frequency.
  • The pay-per-release album price rises significantly on renewal, from $44.99 in year one to $56.49 in subsequent years, which is not obvious from the headline price.
  • As with DistroKid, the 0%-royalty claim covers streaming stores only; social monetisation and publishing administration both carry a 20% commission.
  • Ownership by Believe means TuneCore’s roadmap and priorities sit within a larger corporate group whose other artist-services brands can create channel conflicts or bundling pressure.
  • Additional artist profiles carry a recurring annual fee, so an artist running several projects under different names pays materially more than the headline single-artist price suggests.

Pricing, plan by plan

Deezer

Free
  • Premium$23.99/month
    • 1 account
    • Ad-free
    • Pick any track
  • Duo$29.99/month
    • 2 accounts
    • Ad-free
    • Pick any track
  • Family$35.99/month
    • 6 accounts
    • Ad-free
    • Pick any track
  • FreeFree
    • 1 account
    • Ad-supported
    • Over 120 million tracks

TuneCore

On request
  • Rising Artist (subscription)$24.99/year
    • Unlimited uploads, 0% royalty commission on streaming
  • Breakout Artist (subscription)$44.99/year
    • Unlimited uploads, additional distribution features
  • Professional (subscription)$54.99/year
    • Unlimited uploads, full feature set
  • Pay-per-release: Single$24.99/year
    • One track, renews annually to keep it live

Which should you pick?

Choose Deezer if

  • You need music streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want podcasts.
Deezer review

Choose TuneCore if

  • You need unlimited uploads on subscription plans.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want pay-per-release legacy option.
TuneCore review

Questions people ask

Is Deezer or TuneCore better?
Neither clearly leads. Deezer starts at Free and TuneCore at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Deezer or TuneCore?
Deezer has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Deezer and On request for TuneCore.
Does Deezer or TuneCore run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Deezer for free?
Yes. Deezer has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. TuneCore starts at On request.
What is Deezer best used for?
Deezer is most often used for ad-free on-demand music streaming with offline downloads, multi-user household streaming via the family plan, two-person households via the duo plan, higher-fidelity/lossless audio streaming on premium. Of those, ad-free on-demand music streaming with offline downloads and multi-user household streaming via the family plan are not what TuneCore is typically brought in for.
What can Deezer do that TuneCore cannot?
Deezer covers Music streaming, Podcasts, Radio, HiFi audio. TuneCore covers Unlimited uploads on subscription plans, Pay-per-release legacy option, 0% royalty commission on streaming stores, Publishing administration.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Deezer: How many accounts are included in each Deezer subscription plan?

The Free plan includes 1 account. Premium plan includes 1 account. Duo plan includes 2 accounts. Family plan includes 6 accounts maximum.

Source
TuneCore: Which pricing model should I use, subscription or pay-per-release?

If you release more than one or two records a year, the unlimited subscription is usually cheaper; infrequent releasers may prefer paying per release.

Deezer: What is the monthly cost of Deezer Premium if paid annually?

When paid annually, Premium costs AED 17.92 per month (AED 214.99 per year), representing a 25% discount compared to the monthly rate of AED 23.99.

Source
TuneCore: Who owns TuneCore?

Believe, a French independent music company, has owned TuneCore since 2015.

Deezer: Can I access offline listening on the free Deezer plan?

No. The free plan offers ad-supported streaming with over 120 million tracks but does not include offline listening capability. Offline access is available only on the Premium, Duo, and Family subscription tiers.

Source
TuneCore: Does TuneCore take a cut of streaming royalties?

No, on both the subscription and pay-per-release models you keep 100% of streaming store royalties; social platforms and publishing administration are commissioned separately.

Share

Related pages

More on Deezer

More on TuneCore

Keep looking

Other head to heads